Charlie + Ronika: Tucson Palo Verde Desert Wash & Sunset Bike Ride Engagement Session

Charlie & Ronika are so chill and made my job was painfully easy. I realized that much of their ease would allow me to hush up and let them breathe together. Pre-wedding craziness is at a high and this evening together seemed to be progressively more of a detox "i-love-you-so-much" interlude. And the reminding grace that "oh-my-gosh-i-want-to-be-with-this-person-forever" seemed to wash over them in moments of sweetness and sunbeams...sunset bike rides. I am beyond excited for their wedding at the Tucson Museum of Art. Game on baby. | lkm

EDIT // I asked Ronika for some of the backstory for her and Charlie's wedding day and she gave the sweetest proposal story that i had to add...

Its beginning: The modest rumble of a triumph motorcycle, led me to you that night. I made my way to the door to thank you, Charlie, for the two colorful assorted bouquets. I found you at the end of the steps looking hesitant but sexy in cowboy boots, fitted jeans, button down gray shirt covered by a brown vest. I walked toward the man who I had desired since a young girl. By our third date I realized he was the face I had tried so hard to imagine, a man full integrity, love and a need for adventure. I opened my arms and you embraced me, I felt the slightest trembling running through your skin. You grabbed my hands and looked up at me with a big determined grin and said, “Ronika a year ago today I asked you to hangout and today I wanted ask if you would hang out with me for the rest of your life!” . The man of my dreams took one knee and asked me to marry him. I was altogether beside myself unable to keep tears of happiness from ruling my entire face. My dreams had become a reality this is a moment I shall always remember....Shall we always to choose to love.

Disney Acrobate and Hollister Model Engagement Session | Padua Hills Theatre | Claremont, CA

{Lillie & Aaron | Disney Acrobate & Anakin Skywalker Engaged | Padua Hills Theatre, Claremont, Ca} So much giggles during this engagement session earlier this past summer! Anakin Skywalker (cough), i mean Aaron, dotes on his little lady and she gets equally googly-eyed. The whole time we shot he was strutting his model curves and she'd kidney-shot him from time to time. We were in stitches by the end of the day!

These two are getting married today! And I'm pretty sure there is nobody more giddy on the face of the planet than they are....wait. (time lapse). nope. i checked. | LKM

Johnny + Lauren | A Red + Black Classy Downtown Engagement Session

{Johnny + Lauren | Downtown Tucson Engagement Session } These two are getting married today!!!! So excited to CELEBRATE with them! | LKM

Andy + Autumn | Cowboy Meets Cowgirl | Tucson Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer

{Andy + Autumn | Cowboy Meets Cowgirl | Tucson Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer | Make Up & Hair Artist: Dana Buchanan} Autumn specifically contacted me because she said, 'i loved your website! it was clean. simple. and your images were beautiful.' AWESOME SAUCE. I've been processing brand identity behind the scenes for awhile now. I'm keeping things clean and simple until i figure it out. And apparently that's just fine because i got to meet, greet and laugh with two awesome little love birds who were precious to shoot. Her gentleness with him was my favorite part. Autumn adores Andy. And I can just tell it makes him walk 10 feet taller. He adores her back. And it makes her eyes dance like a million sunbeams...(grin)...too sappy for you? feast your eyeballs then and swoon later. | lkm

(above) she made those cute little placks herself. so crafty. i'm pretty jealous of craft people ya know. :) (below) Seriously. Her skin is flawless! I went to go do air brushing...and i was like, "uhm...well, i guess i could...nope. not really..."... this next series in the orange trees are some of my favorites. he just holds her...and she drinks in his embrace. a boy and his gun...and his girl. :) Andy is going to be deployed soon. Not sure where. Not sure when. Not sure for how long. But by golly, this will just have to be their FIRST of many sweetheart shoots...one day we're gonna have ourselves a WEDDING! Love you guys! | LKM

Andy + Rachael | Padua Hills Engagement Session | Claremont California | Los Angelas Wedding Photographer {Inspiration: Yellow, Stripes, & Chill}

{Andy & Rachael | Padua Hills Engagement Session | Claremont California | Los Angelas Wedding Photographer {Inspiration: Yellow, Stripes, & Chill}

What a beautiful afternoon!! The sun mixed with a soft haze to create a soft, glowy, romantic atmosphere. Andy needed some insisting at first. (grin) It feels weird--I get it--to have somebody ask you to kiss..for a long time. and like it. and LOOK like you like it...and THEN get up in your business and snap pictures of it. I get it! But about 10 minutes into shooting, we hit a stride and i backed off a bit...we found a few stellar spots around Claremont College campus to enjoy each other a bit. Once done enjoying The Claremont Colleges, we made our way up to Padua Hills...and oh did the foothills deliver. I have a love affair with grass and all things green and sunbeams. I just breathed in the smell of spring blooming...and by this time, I saw Andy & Rachael falling into eachother even more...  I went to a photographer's conference recently. One of my favorite speakers, Sue Bryce, pushed me to slow down and really aim for a connection with the client. my groom. my bride. the person(s) in front of me who'se trusting me to 'capture them'...not just pose and go. It's easy to get so caught up in racing the sunset or making sure settings are right or your directing them well enough...but taking a deep breath, letting the clients rest, find their moment together and then nudging them to be more vulnerable and relax even more....such a skill...such an art...such a goal...  My dear friends, I am tickled pink to be trusted with this crazy awesome stage of life for you guys! Can't wait to see you again and celebrate with you both on your wedding day in June! | LKM

Jeff & Laura | A German Flight Attendant + Military World Traveler | Tucson Engagement Session

{Tucson Earthy Engagement Session | Jeff & Laura | March 2013}

Jeff & Laura have a love story straight out of a chick flick. No joke. She's a German flight attendent who flies all over the world and Jeff is in the military, they met in the air, on a plane, thousands of feet above the earth. See what I mean? Doesn't it just make you wanna break out in song?! Or send their story to Hollywood or something?! Laura first contacted me on facebook as she prepared to come visit Jeff from Germany for a few weeks in February. By the hair of our chinny chin chin we found a date that worked, planned a shoot and hooked her up with soft, sweet, natural styling by my bomb stylist Dana Buchanan. | My time with Jeff & Laura was a royal picnic. I'd hang out with them just for fun any day. I underestimate how goofy and easy going Jeff would be--oh! and their heart-warming affection for each other is  pure gold. (sigh) Oh friends, I hope these pictures are a treat to smile over for years to come. :) Joy, LKM

yea yea yea. i realize that the frame thing is SO yesterday's pinterest fad...but whatever. they rocked it. 

Jeff & Abby | Rainy Downtown Engagement Session | Pasadena, California Wedding Photography

{ Jeff & Abby | Rainy Downtown Engagement Session | Pasadena, California Wedding Photography}

Oh my stars. Butterflies are swarming in my tummy. The excitement for these two little love birds is incalculable. I've known Abby since she was a lil' tike. No joke. One of my oldest  family friends.  To see her grown and loved by a good, good man who is humble, tender, loyal, passionate and sincere--i just want to cry and thank Jesus for being so so very good. Check out that rain. Seriously, one of my coldest/rainiest shoots ever. So worth the miseery!!  okay, so it was REALLY really cold. So we were trying to see if we could capture our breath...and they were laughing/shivering/snorting all sorts of wonderfulness.the black and white below is abby's favorite :) (and shhh, don't tell her, but i printed it on canvas and am surprising her for her wedding :D)did i mention we got wet? coffee shop subtleties we laughed SO much! we were struttin' around downtown pasadena and saw this hole-in-the-wall bookstore. I mean, it SMELLED like old books. It was fantastic...and we got uber cozy amongst its shelves. mmmmhm. these images (below) are some of my favorite. Jeff & Abby ADORE each other and are just so comfortable together... i love the moment below in black and white. the story and journey they've been on these past few years make the tenderness and trust a REALLY big deal oh how he loves her

19 days you guys!! can NOT wait to see you soon, shoot your Pasadena wedding. Laugh SO much and celebrate with you guys!! See you on the flipside baby! | lkm

Harry + Hilary | A (RAINY) Tucson Desert Engagement Session | Saguaro National Park

{Harry & Hilary | Dessert Engagement Session | Saguaro National Park, Tucson, AZ | Laura K Moore Wedding Photography} Harry & Hilary made me beam for a solid 2 hours. Granted, this was the wettest engagement session I have ever shot. BUT, I'm pretty sure it ranks up there with a favorite. From the backdrop they chose (saguaro national park) and the special little personal nuances they brought along with them...I'm pretty sure we nailed something special! they ride bikes in this park ALL the time...notice Harry on the right below? yea, that's him attempting to be serious...attempting.. notice the rain?? :D did i mention we got wet?? i love this one... and this one... i LOVE that point of complete abandonment. when i can step aside and a couple trusts enough and is comfortable enough...to just love each other. they laugh ALL. the. time.  Oh Harry & Hilary, you two were definitely a highlight for my weekend!  I hope you enjoy these moments captured as much as I have! | lkm

Amir + Maribel | Tucson Engagement Session | Wedding Photographer

 { Amir + Maribel | Tucson Engagement Session } These two have been a treat to shoot this past season in Tucson. We met at a bridal expo last April and since then, we've shot a 3-part engagement series that has me tickled pink to share!  My favorite thing about these two....how gentle and poised both of them are; so 'put-together'...refined...a constant sense of 'class' sorta oozes from both of them. And yet they hired me for their wedding because, (i quote) 'we had so much fun and need someone to bring out our fun side'. yes, ma'am! | lkm (note: this is one LARGE chunk of awesomeness for a single blog post. but i refuse to break it up into "sections"... :D i like the fact that they progressively got more and more comfortable each time we went out for a shoot, played, laughed, kissed....kissed some more... these two just 'fit' together :D){ Downtown - pt 1 }{Downtown - pt 2}Can't wait for wedding time Amir & Maribel! 10xs more awesomeness awaits us! :D | lkm

Mike + Roni | Tucson, Arizona Engagement Session | Hot Pink Momma Meets RockStar :)

(Mike + Roni | Engagement Session | June 2012} I'm currently wrapping up the edits of M + R's wedding a few weeks ago and I just realized i never posted highlights from their engagement session earlier this summer! These two really enjoy each other. Obviously. :) | lkm

M + R, you guys are a hoot! Excited for you to be celebrating SUCH a fun stage of life right now! | lkm